On The Clock: Your 2019 Fantasy Wrestling Draft

Nowadays, everyone has an opinion on the current Wrestling landscape, for better, or, more often, for worse. And there’s a common Twitter/social media response when someone gets on a rant complaining about the current product:

“Right, as if YOU could do any better…”

Well, we gave a few people a chance. Obviously, we don’t have to book 11 hours of television every week, but we wanted to give some people the chance to draft their own roster. As we found, if you tell eight people they have access to every active wrestler on the planet, and are a bit liberal with the definition of the words “active” and “wrestler”, what you get are some extremely interesting rosters!

Here are the rules we went with:

• Current talent only. Male and female talent were included.
• 40 rounds. 320 picks in total.
• Part-time talent could be drafted, but only in a part-time role. No using The Undertaker 300 days a year.
• Snake-draft rules apply
• No roster positions requirements. Owners are left to decide how to construct their roster.
• Tag Teams may be drafted together, stables may not.

Your participants, presented in draft order:

– Jay Alletto (@JayAlletto)- Founder of PWPNation.com
– Ryan Nishan (@TheBladeJobShow) – Co-Host of The Blade Job Podcast
– Tim Bell (me) – Occasional Writer for PWPNation and PWHaven, 30+ year Wrestling fan
– Jon Olen (@BladeJobJOlen) – Co-Host of The Blade Job Podcast
– Tim Taylor (@NotTheToolMan) – Twitch Affiliate & Podcaster for @3CountThursday
– Eric Brown (@NeoRealityEnt) – Writer & Wrestling fan
– Brad Johnson (@TakeTheBumpPod) – Co-Host of the Take The Bump Podcast
– Eron Ramadanov – (@Eron_Ramadanov) – Owner/Creator of The ER Report & Senior Writer for PWP Nation

Each round/page, I’ll give you a bit of my own insight/analysis on everyone’s picks, and everyone’s final roster is listed at the end of the slideshow. Meanwhile, stay tuned to my and our social media accounts for more insight on how and why we drafted the way we did!

Without further ado, here we go!

Analysis: We didn’t wait long to drop some surprises on this particular draft, and while I love their work, I’m not sure I can fully support quite a few of these picks. In my mind, and mine alone perhaps, Joey Janela, David Starr and Tessa Blanchard don’t belong in the top 8 picks of a worldwide, “everyone’s available” draft. Some might want to give Jay crap for Reigns at #1, but you won’t hear that from me. Meanwhile, Rollins at 5 and Okada at 7 (SEVEN!) are steals by a wide margin.

My Pick: Omega, and there isn’t much analysis needed there. Was honestly surprised he fell to #3.
Best Value (IMO): Okada at #7.
Worst Value (IMO): Janela at #2.

Analysis: A little bit back to normal here, although there still feel like there are a few reaches here. The Lucha Bros. being the first team drafted is surprising only because of the buzz The Young Bucks generate, but they’re certainly deserving. Riddle & Cesaro might be reaches, but I don’t expect a ton of people to argue those picks because of their talent.

My Pick: Daniel Bryan, and again, not a ton of explanation needed here. Simply taking what seemed at the time the biggest name and best wrestler available when it got back to me.
Best Value: Hard for me not to be biased and go with Bryan here.
Worst Value: Jordynne Grace – another name that would have been on my list, but not in the second round ahead of some of the names we see coming later.

Analysis: Seems like we’re going to have a question mark in every single round, because we see more shenanigans here.I’m a huge fan of “The Bulldozer” Matt Tremont, and he’s involved in some of my favorite live moments of independent wrestling, but he should NEVER be chosen ahead of Kota Ibushi, or Tetsuya Naito, or most of these other names chosen. I expected NXT to see some names fly off quickly, but Riddle last round and Dream going here before Gargano or Cole is a bit of surprise, but not awful.

My Pick: Kota Ibushi was an easy pick, it gives me an option to put The Golden Lovers back together, otherwise I’ve got three amazing in-ring workers at this point.
Best Value: It’s either Kota or Naito, and might be Naito only because he’s five picks later, but both went after names that don’t look great going ahead of talents like this.
Worst Value: Probably Tremont, *unless* Ryan’s plan here was to build a more deathmatch-style promotion, which may have been the idea, as he now has Tremont and Janela. The problem is, it’s not hard to imagine Tremont being available several rounds later.

Analysis: We apparently went a little tag team crazy here! Eron seems to have set the tone with the pick of Charlotte, and it led to four more females being quickly selected by way of the tag team. We also see the legend, Jushin “Thunder” Liger, and the hottest name on the independent scene, and new IWGP U.S. Champion, Jon Moxley go here in the fourth round. A couple iffy picks perhaps, but we seem to have returned to a small bit of sanity here.

My Pick: The Briscoes – had to get my hands on a cornerstone tag team after the Bucks & The Revival had already been taken.
Best Value: Charlotte Flair. She’s probably the only female I’d have seen going in the first round, so her going in the fourth, AFTER two other females have been selected is a great “get” for Eron.
Worst Value: The IIconics, and on one level, it pains me to say it. But at least if you split the Kabukis up, you have two talented singles female wrestlers. Without Peyton Royce, Billie Kay would probably be taking your order at Starbucks, so grabbing them this early over other female options, not great.

Analysis: What a loaded round, not a bad pick in the bunch here. Becky Lynch is finally selected, and while this might be the right spot for her realistically, I was surprised her popularity didn’t move her farther up the draft board. Ultimately, it’s tough to argue any of these.

My Pick: LAX, or as I always know and refer to them as, EYFBO. A second (or possibly third) tag team to help diversify the roster. Even on Impact, these two are criminally undervalued, and don’t be surprised when they show up in either NXT or AEW real soon.
Best Value: Tough to tell, but Will Ospreay at 39 overall might look like a real steal in six months or so.
Worst Value: As I said, hard to knock any picks here, but if I have to choose, Cody is probably the only name that sticks out as not being quite as versatile as the others drafted here. Lynch could also possibly be considered here, as she’s been drafted to Ryan’s deathmatch squad, which isn’t a great fit.

Analysis: Another round where there was just too much talent available for anyone to get too silly. It hurt me to see Marty Scurll get drafted before my pick, but it’s difficult for me to get too angry about getting Finn Balor in the sixth round.

My Pick: Finn Balor, an easy pick, giving me plenty of potential dream matches with Balor vs. Omega, Balor vs. Ibushi, and an awesome Balor vs. Bryan program.
Best Value: People will overlook him, because they have been doing it for years, but Randy Orton at #44 is a ridiculous steal.
Worst Value: Jericho would be an option here because of his age, but his name value is high enough to easily warrant a sixth round pick. Honestly, as good as she is, Bayley is probably the weakest pick here.

Analysis: OK, we’re back to your regularly scheduled nonsense, at least a little bit. I remember slightly losing my mind on Twitter about the fact that I got Kevin Owens after Orange Cassidy was selected, because, as much as I love Cassidy’s antics, that’s just insanity. The big NXT names finally go, as well as the biggest box-office attraction in Brock Lesnar.

My Pick: Kevin Owens, another spot where he simply stuck out as the top name left on the board. I’m obviously going to be more NJPW/ROH than WWE style.
Best Value: It’s a bit of a toss-up for me, but Johnny Gargano at #54 seems ridiculous, and is great value at this point.
Worst Value: I bashed the Orange Cassidy pick, but at least Cassidy fits into what Ryan is seemingly trying to build. I appreciate Tim T. trying to bolster his women’s division, but Lacey Evans doesn’t feel like she belongs this high IMO.

Analysis: Man, after a bit of a rocky start, this whole section of the draft really highlights how much talent there is in the industry right now. Lots of big names here,a couple of which I would have drafted at #62 if they’d lasted (Dunne, Andrade), and anyone who watched AEW’s Double Or Nothing, or is an MLW fan knows why Maxwell Jacob Friedman can at least be considered this high, even if it’s probably a bit high.

My Pick: Shinsuke Nakamura. The day he walks into my promotion, we’re just going to ask the crowd to politely forget about everything WWE has done to Nakamura, and we’ll get him back to kicking ass like he should be. Honestly, after losing two names that were on my list, I’m thrilled Nakamura was still available.
Best Value: Probably Samoa Joe. Eron could headline shows for months with Samoa Joe vs. WALTER.
Worst Value: MJF, but as I mentioned before, it’s not a knock on MJF. It’s just that he’d likely have been available rounds later.

Analysis: Nothing too crazy here, lots of solid names from lots of different styles represented here. Interesting to see Eric dip his toe into the hardcore waters with Havoc, potentially nabbing a target from Ryan.

My Pick: Zack Sabre Jr. fits right into the style I’ve put together, and I really believe when the time comes, Sabre is going to be a megastar. Might need a little bit more definition, but that’s nitpicking IMO. Easy pick here. One note – I was sad I couldn’t nab Dijak(ovic) later on in the draft.
Best Value: Ronda Rousey, being paired with Charlotte, gives Eron an extremely formidable women’s division.
Worst Value: Personal bias showing, I just don’t see it with Sami Callihan. Seen him live, seen (some) of his Impact stuff, and he doesn’t show me much. Don’t love that one for Brad.

Analysis: We start to see a few people reaching for picks at this point, which is somewhat crazy when you remember we have 40 rounds to work with. However, the beauty of the draft style and the variety of participants is that nobody knows which direction others might go, and therefore you have to get who you want, when you can.

My Pick: Hiromu Takahashi likely would have gone much sooner if it wasn’t for the injury. In my opinion, I think most probably forgot about him, which is why I’m able to steal him here.
Best Value: I love Ishii, but I’ve got to pick Takahashi here if we’re talking value.
Worst Value: Could go a few different directions here. However, if we’re projecting these promotions going forward, it’s hard to get behind a LuFisto pick this soon, when she’s admittedly so close to retirement.

Analysis: It’s a bit crazy to see these names on the board after the names we saw in the tenth round. Lots of quality names here.

My Pick: EVIL & SANADA – easy pick for me. I can either keep them together, or use them individually, as I believe that SANADA is, at this point, just begging to smash into the top tier of the industry.
Best Value: Jay Lethal. This would have been my pick if the LIJ team wasn’t available, and Lethal never should have made it this far through the draft.
Worst Value: Everyone here is talented, but I’d have to go with John Morrison, as while he’s talented, you know what you’re getting, and there’s a ceiling to what he’s capable of and how high he can rise.

Analysis: Things begin getting a bit difficult here, and people start having to make some real decisions. One interesting note: the WWE Champion is getting drafted in the 12th round, and there wasn’t one person saying it should have happened sooner. I love Kofi, but that’s gotta say something.

My Pick: Looking to bolster the tag team division, so despite them being in the later stages of their careers, this seemed a bit late for The Hardys. And it’s also another team I could potentially separate if need be.
Best Value: Kofi Kingston. He’s the freakin’ WWE Champion.
Worst Value: Nick Gage. I don’t care if he fits Ryan’s style, my bias is showing, Gage is awful.

Analysis: Interesting mix here, and I immediately regretted trying to get Suzuki in the following round when Brad grabbed him at #103.

My Pick: Sami Zayn, easy pick when I have Owens on the roster, as nobody will complain about more Zayn/Owens. And at this point, I’m firmly focused on the in-ring talent, and at this point, Zayn was sticking out as someone who was falling down the board.
Best Value: Minoru Suzuki, because even at his age, when he’s not stuck in the usual Suzuki-Gun tag match, Suzuki can make things real, and makes things believable with anyone he’s involved with.
Worst Value: Sorry Eron, but it’s impossible to ignore you drafting Awesome Kong while you’re watching her walk out on AEW’s Double Or Nothing! Talk about being prisoner of the moment…

My Pick: Drew McIntyre. Upside pick here, I still see McIntyre as a future World Champion, despite WWE trying to make him as boring as possible.
Best Value: Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch. Great team that hasn’t quite had their moment in NXT yet.
Worst Value: Ryder & Hawkins. Tag team grab for the sake of getting a tag team. Don’t see a ton of value in either of these guys.

My Pick: Dolph Ziggler. Another pick where I’m thinking about the matches Ziggler could have with names like Omega & SANADA.
Best Value: I like Eron getting Juice here, but I’ve gotta go with Dolph here, when comparing him to the other names here.
Worst Value: Tommy Dreamer, unless we’re talking about value behind the scenes. Dreamer really doesn’t need to be in the ring much anymore.

My Pick: Taiji Ishimori. If you’re an NJPW follower, easy to defend this one. He can continue his feud with Takahashi, and get into some nonsense with guys like Zayn and Ziggler.
Best Value: Roderick Strong. Got a bit ignored because he’s in a stable and the stable couldn’t be taken together, but Strong is a great pick almost halfway through the draft.
Worst Value: Willie Mack. Not a huge fan, and when Strong goes next, kinda tough to love this one.

My Pick: Dragon Lee. Much like the Ishimori pick, we’re adding some high-flying action to our already stellar in-ring talent.
Best Value: Eddie Edwards. Might be getting towards the end, but when he’s paired with the right opponent, Edwards can put on some of the greatest matches you’ll see.
Worst Value: Mojo Rawley. Mojo is just, just awful.

My Pick: Kassius Ohno. If the name was Chris Hero, he would have been taken 10 rounds ago, but since NXT has ruined him again, I get to steal him here.
Best Value: John Cena. Don’t care if he only wrestles one match a year. Cena brings huge value.
Worst Value: R-Truth. Truth will certainly serve a role, and could still probably have some good matches, but he’d likely be available 10 rounds from now.

My Pick: Ali – another high-flyer. Trying to stay consistent.
Best Value: Nikki Cross. Cross goes after Dana Brooke? What world is this?
Worst Value: Brandi Rhodes. Not sure she even has any plans to wrestle going forward, hard to love this one.

My Pick: Bobby Lashley shouldn’t have made it to the 20th round. I know WWE has ruined him, but STILL.
Best Value: Bobby Lashley. Again, he should have been picked rounds ago.
Worst Value: Rowan. The only Wyatt that should have never been put on his own. Rowan’s not going to add much value.

My Picks: Drew Gulak & KENTA. I had to take Drew Gulak after the travesty of Ryan taking Rory over Drew. And KENTA was another name that seemed to be largely forgotten now that he’s out of the WWE spotlight. Totally fits in with the theme my roster has created.
Best Value: I’d go with KENTA, but in an effort to not be completely biased, I’d also point out Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Worst Value: Officer Magnum. This is where the draft went off the rails. For those unaware, Officer Magnum is a dog. An actual dog. Nicknamed “The Goodest Boy in Pro Wrestling” I’m told. Yup. That’s a real thing.

My Picks: Shingo Takagi & Kimber Lee. Shingo, a 2019 BOSJ finalist, in the 23rd round? I’ll take that. And then, I had to get my female roster started, and with the explosion of great wrestlers like Tessa Blanchard & Jordynne Grace on the indy scene, I feel like many have forgotten a little about Kimber Lee. She was the leader of that group for a long time, and I’m totally good with her leading my women’s roster.
Best Value: Ember Moon. As much as I love Kimber Lee, if Ember stuck around, she would have been the first female I picked.
Worst Value: No Way Jose. I could have gone with Vega or the Hunnies, but if you draft any of them to wrestle rather than do manage, they could add some value. Jose is a waste of time.

My Picks: Naomi & Dakota Kai. My women’s division continues to grow. Two athletic women who, if given the focus, can do some great things,
Best Value: James Drake & Zack Gibson. People were overlooking NXT UK for a long time (including me), and forgot about a great tag team here. These guys are a huge steal at this point.
Worst Value: Yuji Nagata. Unless you’re basing your promotion in Japan, Nagata’s nostalgia doesn’t play, and his age has (fairly) affected his in-ring ability. No disrespect meant, but he’s not going to help much.

My Picks: Bianca Belair & EC3. Belair surprised me still being around after names like Dana Brooke & Zelina Vega have been taken, so as my fourth female, I was happy with that grab. EC3 doesn’t completely fit into the roster I’ve built, but I’m a fan, and I feel like he shouldn’t be falling this far down the draft board.
Best Value: AR Fox. Dude’s legit. Almost flipped my computer when he went, because I thought I’d steal him later.
Worst Value: Bill Carr. Solely because you should have just taken him with Dan Barry the round before. Way to go Ryan :).

My Picks: Mike Kanellis & Tenille Dashwood. Kanellis is an indy pick, as I saw what he could do before disappearing on the WWE roster. And nobody is watching, but he’s doing some good work on 205 Live right now. And Dashwood is WAY too talented to still be on the board with the craze we’ve seen over the women.
Best Value: JT Dunn A second steal by Eron, I somehow completely forgot about “The Juice”. Great wrestler.
Worst Value: Gillberg. At least Swoggle can wrestle.

My Picks: Robert Roode & Travis Banks. If Roode’s first name was still Bobby, he’d have been picked 10 rounds ago. Meanwhile, Banks is an NXT UK steal, and will fit in perfectly with the style my roster’s established.
Best Value: Robert Roode. Just change the name to Bobby, and we’re good.
Worst Value: Eugene. Ryan’s going to make this section easy for a while 😀

My Picks: Kylie Rae & ACH. Kylie adds another solid option to my women’s division, and our style would give her a chance to really prove to the doubters that she’s no Bayley clone. And ACH still being in NXT developmental kept him off people’s radar, allowing me to nab him here.
Best Value: The Brian Kendrick. Great worker, great wrestling mind, he’s a great pick this late.
Worst Value: Rock N’Roll Express. They’re like 60 years old! C’mon man!

My Picks: Mark Haskins & Timothy Thatcher. Easy picks on both, at this point in the draft, being able to add this type of skill is a no-brainer.
Best Value: Mike Bailey. I love getting Haskins in the 37th, but also want to point out how good “Speedball” Mike Bailey is. It’s just unfortunate he can’t get back into the country!
Worst Value: Kikutaro. Deathmatch comedy Ryan? This is just weird.

My Picks: Austin Theory & Sarah Logan. Theory will fit in well in my juniors division, and Sarah Logan can finally show some of her skill as a singles competitor.
Best Value: Ilja Dragunov. Looked at his name at least 5 times and just kept finding more desirable options. Ilja is a great pick here though.
Worst Value: Raven. Almost didn’t even allow this pick, and I allowed someone to draft a dog! Guy’s barely even active, I can’t imagine you getting anything inside the ropes from this guy.

My Picks: Kacy Catanzaro & Jason Jordan. Catanzaro gives me one more option in the female division, and Jordan is one more injury steal, as long as he comes back. In the final round, it’s worth the chance.
Best Value: Ethan Page. There’s some nonsense here, but Page is a quality worker for the final round.
Worst Value: Man Scout Manning. Yup, I’ve got nothing left for you on this one.

Check out the following pages for final rosters!

Jay Alletto’s Final Roster

Ryan Nishan’s Final Roster

Tim Bell’s Final Roster

Jon Olen’s Final Roster

Tim Taylor’s Final Roster

Eric Brown’s Final Roster

Brad Johnson’s Final Roster

Eron Ramadanov’s Final Roster